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How to Get Buff Really Fast

Getting buff really fast means you have to focus on building muscle instead of losing body fat. Increasing the size of your muscles quickly and decreasing your body fat are two very different goals. Muscle requires extra calories and plenty of time lifting weights with minimal aerobic exercise.

Dietary Considerations

Step 1

Multiply your weight in kilograms by 50 calories if you are a man, 44 calories if you are a woman. Add 350 to 700 more calories to your number, calculating the total daily calories you must consume to gain 1 to 2 lbs. of muscle per week.

Step 2

Calculate the grams of protein you must include within your daily caloric intake to build muscle. Simply multiply your weight in kilograms by 1 1/2 to 2 g of protein. Eat mostly lean or low fat animal protein; include whey protein powder.

Step 3

Drink a protein shake 30 minutes before and within 30 minutes after every weight training workout. Blend about 24 to 48 g of whey protein with 1 cup of water and a cored apple for your pre-workout shake. Blend 48 to 72 g of whey protein with 1 1/2 cups of skim milk, 1 cup of water or juice and 1 cup of fresh pineapple.

Step 2

Use heavy enough weights so you can complete only six to 12 repetitions of four to six sets per exercise. Do four to six different exercises for your chest, back, legs and abdominal muscles. Complete four exercises for your smaller biceps, triceps and shoulder muscles.

Step 3

Write down all your exercises, weights, sets and repetitions for every workout. Plan the following week’s workout using the data from the prior week. Look at the weight, repetitions and sets you did for each exercise, then increase one or two variables. Increase the weight you are lifting when you can complete three to four sets of 10 to 12 repetitions for any exercise.

Things You’ll Need

Whey protein

Workout log

Water

Apple

Skim milk

Fresh pineapple

You may be considered buff if you have more than 2 lbs. of body weight per inch of your height, but champion bodybuilders tend to weigh more than 3 lbs. per inch, according to a February 2007 article by Ellington Darden, Ph.D. The circumference of your individual muscle groups helps determine how buff you are. Heavy weightlifting exercises that exhaust your muscles within four to six repetitions are the best way to get buff for bodybuilding, according to the National Federation of Personal Trainers.

Upper Arm

Your triceps and biceps are the muscles that form your upper arms. Arms that have a circumference greater than 14 inches may be considered buff in bodybuilding. However, the circumference of a champion bodybuilder’s upper arm typically exceeds 17 inches. According to a March 2010 article by strength and conditioning specialist Bret Contreras, pullup exercises may be the best exercise for increasing the size of your biceps. Rope triceps extensions are a top exercise for increasing the size of your triceps

Thighs

The hamstring and quadriceps muscles form your thighs. Your thighs may be considered buff in bodybuilding if they each have a circumference greater than 20 inches. The circumference of a top bodybuilder’s thigh may be greater than 25 inches. Building your quadriceps is the most effective method for developing buff thighs. Barbell variations of the squat, such as the half squat and full squat, are the best exercises for building big quads and buff thighs

Lower legs

The circumference of your lower legs is formed by the gastrocnemius or calf, tibialis anterior and soleus muscles. According to Ellington Darden, Ph.D., your lower legs may be considered buff in bodybuilding if they are more than 14 inches around. However, you can expect the diameter of a champion bodybuilder’s lower legs to exceed 25 inches. The gastrocnemius has the greatest potential for increasing the diameter of your lower legs. Target your gastrocnemius with heavy lever calf raise exercises. Sprinting, volleyball and soccer can make your calves buff. Hopping on one leg while holding a dumbbell in your arm on the same side also builds your calves